


Broken wings

by Chiaki_Hamano



Series: 100 prompts [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dark, Dick Grayson is Renegade, Dick Grayson is salty, Everything is oversalted, I can't write anything that isn't dark, I'm not sorry, Jason Todd is salty, M/M, Slade is a dick, and i love him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-28 09:43:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10828701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiaki_Hamano/pseuds/Chiaki_Hamano
Summary: Prompt no. 7: Repeat“Ouch, not even a hint of recognition.” Renegade faked a gasp. He chuckled. “I don’t blame you though. You tend to replace broken toys.” He hummed. “Let me give you a hint.”Renegade leaned forward. “I’m the first bird you owned that flied too low and hit the ground. Good to see you again, Bruce. See that the third bird won’t end up like us, yeah? Heard he’s a genius. Geniuses have the most cruel revenge.”





	Broken wings

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta-ed. All mistakes are my own. I suck at English... I'm also incapable of writing anything that isn't dark... Help.

“Repeat.” Slade ordered calmly.

 

Robin raised his shaky arms up and aimed at the human shape target. He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed the trigger. The force of the bullet made his arm jerked.

 

 _Bang_.

 

“M-Mission accomplished…” Robin whispered. His voice was rough, not from the lack of use but because of overuse. He didn’t know how many times they had done this. With each shot, it felt like a piece of him died. He forced his eyes to look, really _look_ as something liquid _and_ red trickled out from the target.

 

_It’s just paint. It’s just paint._

 

It was just to desensitize him to the blood. Slade was training him to be a killer. Slade was training him to be a killer and he was going with it.

 

If he didn’t, a little girl would die instead.

 

Slade didn’t use his teammates anymore. No, now he used innocent people, little kids that had parents and brothers and sisters who would miss them so much if they were gone. Either Robin hit the target at a fatal spot, or the kid died.

 

“Excellent job, Robin. It seems little Veronica has earned another day of living. Thanks to you.”

 

Slade’s voice said through the ear piece and Robin winced. The vigilante dropped his arms limply to his side. He swallowed his pride. “Yes, Master. Thank you, Master.” He repeated the dull saying that he was forced to memorize. A hint of rebellion meant a lost life.

 

Robin learned his lesson after he was forced to witness Slade pulling the trigger on a little boy. John was his name, Robin believed. His small skull was on the display room with a little tag under it ‘Robin’s first kill’ as if it was a trophy. Robin hadn’t directly killed John but he might as well have with his rebellious nature.

 

Robin had puked when he first laid his eyes on it.

 

“Clean yourself and report to me. You have fifteen minutes, apprentice.” Slade ordered.

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

Robin reported to him in ten.

 

On his knees, the former vigilante looked up at his so called ‘Master’. Slade looked down on him, one eye gleaming behind the mask. “It has come to my attention that you are progressing very well in term of your training. You have also learned obedience and respect. Very good, Robin.” He praised, reaching out to comb through the mass of black hair. The action was unbelievably gentle and Robin realized with horror that he was leaning into the touch.

 

He was so starved for affection and kindness that he would take any scraps, even from Slade…

 

“T-Thank you, Master…” Robin stammered.

 

Slade pulled his hand away. “You need to practice on real targets. Robots aren’t cutting it anymore.” Slade stated. “Tomorrow, full combat evaluation. You know what’ll happen if you fail.” Robin couldn’t see Slade’s face but he could picture that cruel smile all too clear.

 

Robin swallowed. No pretense then. Not that he could. If he pretended to fail, the price he had to pay would be much greater than if he just went along.

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

There was a finger on his chin and Robin looked up. Slade’s other hand reached over to the edge of Robin’s mask. He lingered there.

 

“There are no secret identities between Master and Apprentice. After tomorrow, if you pass the test, you will officially be mine. Make no mistake. I know who you are, _Richard_. You certainly have bled enough while you are with me. The only reason you are allowed to keep this mask is because you haven’t _earned_ the right to be anything but the Bat’s _sidekick_ yet.”

 

It was unbelievable how Slade could make it sound like an insult. Robin swallowed.

 

“But after tomorrow, if you pass, Robin is dead. Start thinking of a new name, Apprentice. You are mine. With the blood on your hand, the Bat isn’t taking you back and _you know it_. Starting tomorrow, you are not the Bat’s sidekick anymore, you are my student.”

 

There was silence.

 

“Apprentice.” Slade said simply. The hesitant moment was too long.

 

Robin jerked. “I-I understand.” He said then added. “Master…”

 

Robin squeezed his eyes shut. He knew he would pass the evaluation. If he didn’t, little Veronica wouldn’t be released. Slade kept his promises. He always released the little kids as long as Robin obeyed. Little Veronica had been here for over a week already, after the previous boy, Mike, was released. She had witnessed too much. She needed to be freed. She needed her parents.

 

Robin would do everything he could to save her. Even if he had to listen to that awful voice whispering in his ear ‘Repeat’ then Bang, ‘Repeat’ then Bang… the sound never ended like a hellish loop that Robin was forced to live in.

 

“Good. _Dismiss_.”

 

* * *

 

“Want a smoke?” Red Hood asked, offering a cigarette to his companion. The other male laughed dryly and shook his head.

 

“Thanks but no thanks. I’m too young to die of cancers.” The male said.

 

Red Hood shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’m going to enjoy life while I can.” He said. He removed the helmet with a faint hiss before he lit the cancer stick, placing it in his mouth. He glanced at the other male. Renegade. Deathstroke’s Apprentice. Topnotch at what he did. He was Jason’s partner in training when Talia put him back together. Impossible to kill.

 

Red Hood snorted. If Renegade wasn’t so hard to murder, he would have died just like the other trainers Red Hood had. He supposed Deathstroke did a decent job at bringing the guy up.

 

He didn’t like to admit it, but he had grown _sort of_ fond of him, if only for that impossible ability to die. It was the only reason why he hadn’t thrown a fit when Renegade crashed _his_ party with the Bat.

 

“Where’s Deathstroke? You finally ditch him for good?” Red Hood asked.

 

Renegade gave Red Hood a mocking smile. “If I could, don’t you think I would have done that already?” He asked. “Nah, he made me. I’m good at what I do. _Very_ good. I don’t think I can ditch him even if I get the opportunity now.” The mercenary admitted in a rare moment of honesty.

 

“Err, don’t get the deal with you two. Not that I care.” Red Hood pursed his lips. “Sometimes I thought you would have stabbed him in the back. Hey, you loyal to him or not? You can always, you know, work for me and all that. I’m the big crime boss of Gotham now.”

 

Renegade actually laughed at that. “I ask that question myself all the time, too. Never the same answer twice. Yes. No. Maybe. Probably. He gave me a home. He made me my best. He made me do it. He forced me. Then I choose to stay. I don’t know. Never the same answer.” He grinned. “And I don’t think you can afford me even if you are the big bad wolf now. I’m not _cheap_. A shipment of weapons and some cocaine won’t be able to buy me.”

 

“So _two_ shipments of weapons might?”

 

“Good try, pretty boy. But no.”

 

Red Hood actually pouted. “Aww sucks. And here I thought I would get the chance to get you on my payroll.” He leered. “Wanna fuck later after I deal with the Bat, handsome?”

 

Renegade snorted. “Handsome? You don’t even know my _face_. I might just have unibrow. And then what?” He asked, amused.

 

“Then nothing. Still wanna tap that.”

 

Renegade grinned. “Later. After you deal with the Bat. If you haven’t exploded with anger by then.” He kicked the unconscious Joker. “I don’t know what’s your plan with this third rate clown, but hey, not my business. I’m just going to enjoy this show with popcorns.” He smirked. “You think the Bat cares about his Robin enough to kill?”

 

Ouch. Sore spot. Red Hood glared. Renegade raised both hands in a universal gesture of surrender.

 

* * *

 

When Batman failed the ‘test’ Red Hood dished out, Renegade was already there to pick up the pieces. He slung Red Hood’s arm around his shoulder and smiled at the big bad Bat.

 

“Not here to fight.” Renegade announced smugly. “I think our man here has enough anger for the both of us.” He patted the unconscious Red Hood’s chest gently.

 

“Who are you?” Batman asked.

 

“Ouch, not even a hint of recognition.” Renegade faked a gasp. He chuckled. “I don’t blame you though. You tend to replace broken toys.” He hummed. “Let me give you a hint.”

 

Renegade leaned forward. “I’m the first bird you owned that flied too low and hit the ground. Good to see you again, Bruce. See that the third bird won’t end up like us, yeah? Heard he’s a genius. Geniuses have the most cruel revenge.”

 

Renegade laughed. It was a hysterical cackle, a little crazed and a lot broken. “See you ‘round, B-man.”

 

A smoke bomb later, Renegade and Red Hood had vanished from sight, leaving Batman behind with the Joker.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, I'm happy to hear and answer you if I can. I still have no idea if I should continue this one or not... But this is the end. For now.
> 
> See you next prompt, friends :D
> 
> [Find me on Tumblr!](https://chiakifics.tumblr.com/)


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